Cops: Accused Vandal Confessed To ChatGPT

OCTOBER 1--Minutes after vandalizing 17 cars in a Missouri college parking lot, a 19-year-old sophomore had a lengthy ChatGPT conversation during which he confessed to the crime, asked about the possibility of getting caught, and wondered, “is there any way they could know it was me,” according to a police probable cause statement.

Ryan Schaefer was arrested yesterday and charged with felony property damage for a rampage early Sunday at a Missouri State University parking lot. Investigators allege that Schaefer shattered car windows, ripped off side mirrors, dented hoods, and broke windshield wipers during the 3 AM spree.

When confronted with surveillance footage and other evidence, Schaefer said that he could see the resemblance between the suspect and himself. At that point, Schaefer reportedly consented to a search of his iPhone.

A subsequent review of the device revealed location data placing Schaefer “at or near the scene of the crime,” as well as a “troubling dialogue exchange this defendant seems to have had with artificial intelligence software installed on his phone,” prosecutors reported.

The incriminating ChatGPT conversation--filled with typos--opened with Schaefer asking, “How fucked am I” and “qilll I go to jail.” After the AI program “gave tips about the potential outcome of getting caught or being involved in this kind of behavior,” Schaefer typed, “What if I smashed the shit outta mutlipls cars.”

After beginning to “spiral,” cops say, Schaefer began to “become aggressive towards ChatGPT,” saying, “I will kill all u fi kers.” Upon returning to his Springfield apartment, Schaefer began “to wind down a bit” and declared, “i got away w it last year. And I don’t think theres any way they could know my face.” He added, “it felt rrlly nice to fucktheir dhit up.”

Acknowledging that he “fucked up all those useless fuckers cars,” Schaefer wrote that the victims “all dexerve to get raped and murdered.”

Seen above, Schaefer is locked up in lieu of $7500 bond at the Greene County jail. Upon his release from custody, Schaefer will be barred from any premise “where the primary item for sale is alcoholic beverages” and he will be required to comply with random testing for drugs or alcohol. The collegian will also have to be outfitted with a GPS electronic monitoring device. (4 pages)